Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1887-02-23
A COSTLY BON NET.

"lsany one hurlE' asked MIR. Crcswick.
'What has happencd3 Can l be ofu'c~
lie was stroling past Candytuft CT
tagc, as he often did. 1t was a habit
into which he had fallen of late, almost
without any definite knowledge or in
tention of his own, and il any one had
told him that z,idec Gray's fair, girlish
face had nything to do with it, ho
would doubtless have been much sur
pri'oi.
ooh, it's only our z,y, in one of her
tcmpcsts," said Louise, calmly smooth
ing back the wind -rulll9d gold of her
curls. "Shc's as wild as the March
wind ITSELF"
Louise Gray MAS like tall, white lily,
so serene, so graceful and so beautiful.
Her soft locks lay against her brow
likes waves of sunshine, her eyes wero
blue and clear beneath their curved
'ashcs, her crimson lips looked as if they
never spoke aught but the sweetest Of
words.
Mr.. Crcswick looked at her as an
artist might survey some peerless work
of art; but his heart never warmed
toward her any more than if she were
her own type in n frozen marble.
1t was Zlidcc that he liked best
wild, impctuous Z ,idcc, with the velvet
hazel eyes, and the shifting roses in
her checks and the bright, disordcrcd
hair-Zaidcc, who was always being
checked for something, and who was
treated more like child than woman,
although she hal passed the Rubicon of
her eighteenth birthday.
"Ohw said Mr.. Crcswick.
Nor did he think the less Of Zay to
discover that she was human, like the
rest of womankind, and no passionlcss
clay goddess.
"Won't you come in, said Louise" with
carrcssing corliaily Of manner.
"Not to-day" said Mr.. Creswick.
And he walked mcditativcly past the
lilac-hcdgcd fence, with his eyes cast
downward as if he were counting the
yellow dandelions that starred the
grassy bank.
Louise bit her lip.
"Tircsome fellow ~ she said to her
self II do wonder if he ever means to
come to the pontl But he must mean
something, or he wouldn't keep coming
here. And he is rich and handsome,
and mamma says that if | mean to settle
well, mustn't wait till l am old and
faded, like Miss Patience PcrrGcld."
So Louise entered the sardcn-gatc,
settling the ribbon bows on her dress in
a lcisurcly sort of way, and following
the tones of high, excited voice, she
strollcd along the wide, cool hall to the
strawberries at the back of the house.
"Oh, DEAR" said she, with deprc-
eating motion of her hand, "what is it
now 2 do wish, Zailcc, you wouldn't
treat us to so many of these scenes It's
too trying to the nerves
Zldce stood in the midst of the
Aowcr.bcds, rclentlessly tramping down
verbcnas, poppyhcads and Glove scented
clusters Of pinks, with something held
tcndcrly in her hands, while her spark
ling, tcar-drenchcd eyes AMI the vivid
scarlet of her cheeks bctokcncd that
some extraordinary emotion had stirred
her soul.
"What have you got ~ asked Louise,
sharply. Bright bits Of color fea-
thcrs ~
"Its--it's two beautiful blucbirds'
sobbcd Zlidce; "and my humming-
bird-thc hummlng- bird have fed and
coaxcd ever since it was wee bit of
velvet down in its nest |"
Such a fuss about nothngw said
Joe, tall lad of sixteen; "and Bill
Beers is waiting to stuff and mount them
for me. told her, Lou, that you had
sad you'd give me dollar if Pd shoot
the blues and trap the humming fellow;
but she won't believe me-"
"Oh, Louisc" pleaded Z,dcc; "you
didn't you never coudl'
"Such fuss to make about nothing!"
repeated Louise, impaticrtly, stamping
her foot. 81 must have birds for my
bonnet. Every one wears birds"
people are crucl!" sobbcl z,idce-
Savage. Oh, l do so hate fashion and
fashionable doings"
"And as can't afford to pay tho
prices that the milincrs ask" langudly
added Louise, ''as long as papa keeps my
allowance at such niggarly point,
must just do the best | cln. A ter all,
you silly D Inna Qnixota, what's blue
bird or two2--or mise able humming-
bird, that you could cover with the
palm of your handl Here's your dollar,
Joe. Hav, Bill Beers stuff and mount
tho,,, oc eonn N. la con I ,y,nt 70 ,yo,,